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When it seems like all our online activity is being tracked by Google, Facebook, and co., it comforts me to think of all the untracked usage out there, from shared (or fake) Facebook accounts to the good ol’ sneakernet:

Packets of information can be distributed via SMS and mobile 3G but also pieces of paper, USB sticks and Bluetooth.

The map exposes the network of fibre optic internet cables that lie deep below the sea giving an unfettered glimpse of the government’s counterterrorism tactics and the murky justifications behind them.

I think this might be the most tasteful, least intrusive use of scroll events to enhance a Snowfallesque story. It’s executed superbly.

You can read all about the code. Interestingly, it’s using canvas to render the maps even though the maps themselves are being stored as SVG.

(There’s a caveat saying: “This is a highly experimental project and it might not work in all browsers. Currently there is no IE support.” I don’t think that’s true: the story works just in IE …that browser just doesn’t get the mapping enhancements.)